Conveying apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for accelerating and spacing apart the articles, e.g. cigarette packets, in a uniformly-moving stream. A toothed rotor adjacent the stream is driven at uniform speed, each tooth on the rotor in turn displacing laterally the foremost article in the stream, and inserting itself behind the article to displace it from the succeeding article and act as a moving stop for the latter.

United States Patent 1191 New [ 1 Feb. 20, 1973 [54] CONVEYING APPARATUS[75] Inventor: John Elliott NemDeptford, England [73] Assignee: MolinsLimited, London, England [22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:110,035

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 29, 1970 Great Britain..4230/70 [52] US. Cl ..198/25, 198/34 [51] Int. Cl ..B65g 47/26 [58]Field of Search ..l98/2526, 34,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,538,408 1/1951 Baker..l98/33 AD 2,393,961 2/1946 Almgren ..19s/2s x 2,570,198 10/1951 Brager..19s/2s x 2,609,946

9/1952 Brager ..l98/25 X Primary ExaminerEdward A. Sroka Attorney-Craig,Antonelli and Hill [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for accelerating and spacingapart the articles, e.g. cigarette packets, in a uniformly-movingstream. A toothed rotor adjacent the stream is driven at uniform speed,each tooth on the rotor in turn displacing laterally the foremostarticle in the stream, and inserting itself behind the article todisplace it from the succeeding article and act as a moving stop for thelatter.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTED B 3.117. 236

" SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR z'ros \N ELLI'OTT NEW BY (iron Aumu-UM Stony) HiATTQR NEVIJ CONVEYING APPARATUS The present invention relates toconveying apparatus and is more particularly concerned with conveyingapparatus for feeding articles to be packed or wrapped, such ascigarette packets, to a packing or wrapping machine.

In a packing or wrapping machine, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 3,380,227 issued Apr. 30, 1968, it is necessary in feeding thearticles to be packed or wrapped into the machine to do so at apredetermined speed and with a predetermined distance between adjacentpackets in the stream. The present invention is concerned with providingapparatus which will do this.

It is also concerned with providing apparatus which can be usedgenerally where it is desired to displace the leading article from astream of articles in order to enable the article to be handledindividually. The term stream is intended to cover a stack of articlesor a substantially horizontal row of articles where adjacent articlesare in contact with one another.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus fordisplacing each successive foremost article from the succeeding articlein the direction of travel of a uniformly moving stream of abuttingarticles, comprising a continuously driven rotor adjacent the stream towhich the stream is generally tangential, the rotor having deflectingand spacing means to deflect each successive foremost articletransversely of the direction of travel of the stream and to enter thestream between the foremost article and the next succeeding article toaccelerate the leading article and space it from the succeeding article.

The rotor may have a plurality of similar equi-angularly spaced teetheach of which constitutes a deflecting and spacing means, each toothhaving a generally tangential flank which on rotation of the rotor bearsagainst the foremost article to displace it transversely, a crest which,on further rotation of the rotor, enters the stream behind the foremostarticle and accelerates it to space it-from the succeeding article, anda generally radial flank which, on the preceding tooth in the directionof rotation, and on further rotation, forms a stop for the foremostarticle.

There may be a second rotor on the opposite side of the stream from thefirst rotor, the second rotor having its axis of rotation parallel withthe axis of rotation of the first rotor, and being continuously drivenin the opposite direction, the second rotor having a plurality ofstationary stop members equi-angularly disposed around the rotor and anequal plurality of pivoted arms equi-angularly disposed around therotor, a cam follower on each arm, and a stationary cam against whichthe cam followers bear to move each pivoted arm towards the adjacentstop member as they pass the first rotor to receive the foremost articletherebetween from the first rotor.

How the invention may be carried out will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawing of which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a part of FIG. 1 to a greater scale,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line lIl-IIl of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view in the direction of the arrow 1V in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on the line V-V of FIG. 1.

The stream of articles, generally indicated by the reference numeral 1,comes from a packing machine (not shown), and in this embodiment thepackets 2 are in fact packets of cigarettes. These packets have then tobe transferred to a wrapping machine, for example of the kind disclosedin the aforementioned patent, where each packet will be wrapped in acellophane wrapper.

The apparatus illustrated comprises four rotary members 3, 4, 5 and 6respectively which together serve to accelerate the packets 2 and thusform a second stream of packets in which the packets are travelling at ahigher speed than those in the first stream 1 and in which adjacentpackets are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance x.

The first rotary member 3 comprises a wheel having teeth 3a which aredesigned to support the packets 2 as they leave the stream 1 under theinfluence of gravity. The rotary member 3 rotates in a counterclockwisedirection and in so doing urges each packet 2 slightly to the left asviewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, i.e., laterally towards the second rotarymember 4. The top of the packet 2 is pushed to the left by the surface3b while the bottom of the pocket is urged to the left by a guide 19. Inother words the first rotary member 3 serves to displace each packet 2from the stream 1 and present it to the second rotary member 4. Thesecond rotary member 4 rotates in a clockwise direction andcomprises arotor 7 which carries a number of fixed stops 8 and a correspondingnumber of pivoted arms 9 each of which has a portion 9a adapted toengage and locate a packet 2 against the associated fixed stop 8, and asecond portion 9b which carries a cam follower 10, in the form of awheel, which engages a fixed cam 11. The cam follower l0 and cam 11cooperate to change the attitude of the arms 9 as the rotor 7 rotates sothat the portion 9a will move away from the fixed stop 8 to enable apacket 2 to be inserted therebetween and will then move towards thefixed stop 8 in order to grip the packet 2 between itself and the fixedstop 8 and carry the packet 2 through an arcuate path. The rotarymembers 3 and 4 cooperate to form successively a series of pockets tocontain each successive leading packet from the stream and to accelerateit relative to the stream.

The packet 2 is then transferred from the second rotary member 4 to thethird rotary member 5 which has a peripheral speed greater than therotary member 4 and will thus further accelerate the packet. The rotarymember 5 is of a similar construction to the rotary member 4 in that ithas a plurality of fixed stops 12 which cooperate with pivotal arms 13each of which has a packet locating portion 13a and a cam followerportion 13b which carries the cam follower 14. The cam follower 14, inthe form of a wheel, contacts a fixed cam 15.

The rotary member 5 then transfers the packet to a fourth and finalrotary member 6 which has a peripheral speed greater than that of therotary member 5 and thus further accelerates each packet 2.

The construction of the rotary member 6 is somewhat different from thatof the rotary members 5 and 4. The rotary member 6 comprises a rotor 16which carries a plurality of pivotal arms 17 which are adapted to hold apacket in position on the periphery of the rotor 16 against a plate 17a,after each packet has first been dragged back against a stop 18 bystationary brushes 20.

The packets 2 leave the rotary member 6 having a predetermined speed,dictated by the speed of rotation of the rotor 16, and spaced apart fromone another a distance x. The second stream thus formed is fed directlyinto a wrapping machine of the kind disclosed in the aforementionedpatent.

The guides 19 are in the form of metal rods or tubes and terminate atthe periphery of the rotary member 6. However, associated with therotary member 6 are the stationary brushes 20 which act as guides. Thearms 17 move towards the plate 17a to grip a packet at a pointsubstantially half-way along the length of the brush 20. The arms 17 arepivoted by means of cam followers 21 which bear on a stationary cam 22.

While the invention has been described with reference to an examplewhich has three stages of acceleration for the packets 2, i.e., by meansof the rotors 4, and 6, clearly any suitable number of stages ofacceleration could be employed depending on the particular environmentin which the invention is to be used. Furthermore, although theaccelerating devices in the embodiment comprise rotary members, endlessbelts or conveyors could be used instead. Variations could also be madein the kinds of guide which are employed to contain the packets in thedesired path. For example the guides 19 could be replaced by brushessimilar to the brushes 20. In this event the frictional force betweenthe packets and the brushes could be sufficient to render the provisionof the elements 90 and 13a unnecessary since the driving members 8 and12 would drive the packets against the frictional force, the latterbeing sufficient to prevent the packets from falling away from contactwith the members 8 and 12.

Other means may be used to displace the leading packet laterally fromthe stream 1. For example the rotor 3 could be provided with plungerswhich operate to push the packet laterally towards the rotor 4. Thenecessary radially outward movement of the plungers could be effected bymeans of a fixed cam, substantially concentric with the rotor 3, engagedby cam followers carried by the plungers; alternatively the plungerscould be moved by a suitable linkage.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for displacing each successive foremost article from thesucceeding article in the direction of travel of a uniformly movingstream of abutting articles, comprising a continuously driven rotoradjacent the stream and to which the stream is generally tangential, therotor having deflecting and spacing means to deflect each successiveforemost article transversely of the direction of travel of the streamand to enter the stream between the foremost article and the nextsucceeding article to accelerate the leading article and space it fromthe succeeding article, a second rotor on the opposite side of thestream from the first rotor, the second rotor having its axis ofrotation parallel with the axis of rotation of the first rotor, andbeing continuously driven in the opposite direction, the second rotorhaving a plurality of stationary stop members equi-angularly disposedaround the rotor and an equal plurality of pivoted arms equi-angularlydisposed around the rotor, a cam follower on each arm, and a stationarycam agalnst which the cam followers bear to move each pivoted armtowards the adjacent stop member as they pass the first rotor to receivethe foremost article therebetween from the first rotor.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and comprising a third rotor similarto the second rotor to receive each successive foremost article from thesaid rotor and accelerate it and space it from the succeeding article.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and comprising a further rotor toreceive the articles and accelerate them and space them further apart,the rotor having a plurality of stop members equi-angularly spaced roundthe rotor, a stationary brush to hold the articles against the stopmembers, a plate member on one side of the stop members, an arm pivotedto be movable transversely of the direction of travel of the articleadjacent each stop member and having a cam follower, and a stationarycam cooperating with the cam followers to move each arm towards theplate to hold an article therebetween.

4. Apparatus for displacing each successive foremost article from thesucceeding article in the direction of travel of a uniformly movingstream of abutting articles, comprising a continuously driven rotoradjacent the stream and to which the stream is generally tangential,said rotor having only a plurality of similar equi-angularly spacedteeth fixed thereto, each tooth having a generally tangential flankwhich on rotation of the rotor bears against the foremost article todisplace it transversely, a crest which on further rotation of the rotorenters the stream behind the foremost article to space it from thesucceeding article, a generally radial flank which on further rotationforms a stop for the succeeding uniformly moving article, a second rotoron the opposite side of the stream from the first rotor, the secondrotor having its axis of rotation parallel with the axis of rotation ofthe first rotor, and being continuously driven in the oppositedirection, the second rotor having a plurality of stationary stopmembers equi-angularly disposed around the rotor and an equal pluralityof pivoted arms equi-angularly disposed around the rotor, a cam followeron each arm, and a stationary cam against which the cam followers bearto move each pivoted arm towards the adjacent stop member as they passthe first rotor to receive the foremost article therebetween from thefirst rotor.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and comprising a third rotor similarto the second rotor to receive each successive foremost article from thesaid rotor and accelerate it and space it from the succeeding article.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, and comprising a further rotor toreceive the articles and accelerate them and space them further apart,the rotor having a plurality of stop members equiangularly spaced roundthe rotor, a stationary brush to hold the articles against the stopmembers, a plate member on one side of the stop members, an arm pivotedto be movable transversely of the direction of travel of the articleadjacent each stop member and having a cam follower, and a stationarycam cooperating with the cam followers to move each arm towards theplate to hold an article therebetween.

* t III

1. Apparatus for displacing each successive foremost article from thesucceeding article in the direction of travel of a uniformly movingstream of abutting articles, comprising a continuously driven rotoradjacent the stream and to which the stream is generally tangential, therotor having deflecting and spacing means to deflect each successiveforemost article transversely of the direction of travel of the streamand to enter the stream between the foremost article and the nextsucceeding article to accelerate the leading article and space it fromthe succeeding article, a second rotor on the opposite side of thestream from the first rotor, the second rotor having its axis ofrotation parallel with the axis of rotation of the first rotor, andbeing continuously driven in the opposite direction, the second rotorhaving a plurality of stationary stop members equi-angularly disposedaround the rotor and an equal plurality of pivoted arms equi-angularlydisposed around the rotor, a cam follower on each arm, and a stationarycam against which the cam followers bear to move each pivoted armtowards the adjacent stop member as they pass the first rotor to receivethe foremost article therebetween from the first rotor.
 1. Apparatus fordisplacing each successive foremost article from the succeeding articlein the direction of travel of a uniformly moving stream of abuttingarticles, comprising a continuously driven rotor adjacent the stream andto which the stream is generally tangential, the rotor having deflectingand spacing means to deflect each successive foremost articletransversely of the direction of travel of the stream and to enter thestream between the foremost article and the next succeeding article toaccelerate the leading article and space it from the succeeding article,a second rotor on the opposite side of the stream from the first rotor,the second rotor having its axis of rotation parallel with the axis ofrotation of the first rotor, and being continuously driven in theopposite direction, the second rotor having a plurality of stationarystop members equi-angularly disposed around the rotor and an equalplurality of pivoted arms equi-angularly disposed around the rotor, acam follower on each arm, and a stationary cam against which the camfollowers bear to move each pivoted arm towards the adjacent stop memberas they pass the first rotor to receive the foremost articletherebetween from the first rotor.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1and comprising a third rotor similar to the second rotor to receive eachsuccessive foremost article from the said rotor and accelerate it andspace it from the succeeding article.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1and comprising a further rotor to receive the articles and acceleratethem and space them further apart, the rotor having a plurality of stopmembers equi-angularly spaced round the rotor, a stationary brush tohold the articles against the stop members, a plate member on one sideof the stop members, an arm pivoted to be movable transversely of thedirection of travel of the article adjacent each stop member and havinga cam follower, and a stationary cam cooperating with the cam followersto move each arm towards the plate to hold An article therebetween. 4.Apparatus for displacing each successive foremost article from thesucceeding article in the direction of travel of a uniformly movingstream of abutting articles, comprising a continuously driven rotoradjacent the stream and to which the stream is generally tangential,said rotor having only a plurality of similar equi-angularly spacedteeth fixed thereto, each tooth having a generally tangential flankwhich on rotation of the rotor bears against the foremost article todisplace it transversely, a crest which on further rotation of the rotorenters the stream behind the foremost article to space it from thesucceeding article, a generally radial flank which on further rotationforms a stop for the succeeding uniformly moving article, a second rotoron the opposite side of the stream from the first rotor, the secondrotor having its axis of rotation parallel with the axis of rotation ofthe first rotor, and being continuously driven in the oppositedirection, the second rotor having a plurality of stationary stopmembers equi-angularly disposed around the rotor and an equal pluralityof pivoted arms equi-angularly disposed around the rotor, a cam followeron each arm, and a stationary cam against which the cam followers bearto move each pivoted arm towards the adjacent stop member as they passthe first rotor to receive the foremost article therebetween from thefirst rotor.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and comprising a thirdrotor similar to the second rotor to receive each successive foremostarticle from the said rotor and accelerate it and space it from thesucceeding article.